Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 11 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will on Sunday formally launch the Bharatiya Janata Party’s campaign in Kerala for the upcoming Assembly elections

The senior BJP leader landed at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on a special aircraft on Saturday night and is scheduled to participate in a series of political, organisational, and religious programmes in the state capital.

According to the official itinerary, Amit Shah is set to begin his engagements with a visit to the historic Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, where he will offer special prayers. Following the temple visit, the Home Minister will interact with newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) representatives from local self-government institutions. The interaction is aimed at strengthening the party’s organisational base at the grassroots level ahead of the upcoming elections.

HM Shah is scheduled to address the BJP’s elected representatives’ conference at Kowdiar. The meeting will focus on election preparedness, booth-level coordination, and constituency-specific strategies.

Later in the afternoon, he will attend the party’s state core committee meeting, where key political and electoral issues are likely to be deliberated in detail.

Senior BJP leaders, including Rajeev Chandrasekhar, V. Muraleedharan, K. Surendran, and Shobha Surendran, will participate in the meetings. Party sources said discussions will include candidate selection for constituencies categorised as A Plus and A categories, which the BJP considers crucial for expanding its electoral footprint in Kerala.

Talks on seat-sharing arrangements among NDA partners are also expected to take place during HM Shah’s meeting with alliance leaders later in the evening.

BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, in a Sunday post on X, wrote, “Privileged to join our karyakartas in welcoming Amit Shahji to Thiruvananthapuram. 6 months ago, in July 2025, Amit Shah ji launched BJP/NDA’s #Mission2025 and Kerala witnessed a political turning point in local body elections. Today, he is here to launch #Mission2026 and guide our karyakartas as we prepare for one of the most consequential Assembly elections in Kerala’s history. Election that will decide the future of our state and the opportunities available to generations of Malayalees.”

He had earlier stated that Amit Shah’s visit would officially mark the beginning of the NDA’s election campaign activities in Kerala. The visit has gained added political significance as it comes in the backdrop of the arrest of chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case. Sources indicated that the possibility of a probe by central agencies into the incident may also come up for discussion during the party’s internal deliberations.

Meanwhile, in view of the Home Minister’s visit, the Thiruvananthapuram city police have imposed extensive traffic restrictions across major parts of the capital from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking will be prohibited on several key roads, and vehicles violating the restrictions will be towed away. Authorities have advised passengers travelling to the airport and railway stations to plan their journeys in advance to avoid inconvenience.

–IANS

aal/dpb